To Taal, Batangas I went over the weekend to attend the burial of a dear aunt and, consequently, to encounter my uncle Lipa Archbishop Ramos Arguelles, known as a Marian crusader now backing consideration of the Lipa City miracles in 1949.
He is also known to hold Mass in Batulao, Batangas where the Blessed Virgin Mary is said to appear to ex-OFW Emma de Guzman every Dec. 8.
Of course, I had to ask him about Lipa and he said all the documents on it are complete, apparently for Vatican’s consideration.
For those not familiar with the Lipa events in 1949: the Blessed Mother as Mediatrix of Graces appeared to nun Sister Teresing in a local convent where scores of people witnessed showers of rose petals with image markings, such as that of the crucified Christ, the Mother of Perpetual Help, etc.
The event, for some reasons, were suppressed by Church authorities until my uncle ascended to become archbishop.
My uncle also told me he was to officiate Mass in Batulao (our meeting was before Dec. 8) , an input that convinced me that the apparitions to Emma are of supernatural origin. If you can find video titled EMMA, producted by June Keithly, I’d urge you to buy it (and please inform me so I can beg you to allow me to copy it for personal use).
Gladly, my uncle volunteered the information that he had visited the world-famous Medjugorje where the Blessed Mother had been appearing to five visionaries since 1981. “Did you see anything miraculous there?” I asked him.
Tens of thousands of people who had visited Medjugorje have reported unusual events there, such as a dancing sun or the links of their rosaries turning into gold.
My archbishop uncle replied: “No, I didn’t see the Blessed Virgin, but the Blessed Virgin saw me.” I really laughed loud and hard.
Now that we have stumbled anew no Medjugorje, let me share with you the following which you can find in medjugorje.com:
Two of the Medjugorje visionaries, Vicka and Jakov, were physically taken to Heaven, Purgatory, and hell.
The other visionaries were shown a vision of Heaven, Purgatory, and hell. Our Lady told the visionaries that many people do not believe that Heaven, Purgatory, and hell exist and that She desired the visionaries to be witnesses of their existence through their experiences. The following puts together the most detailed description of the visionaries’ experiences using their own words.
In an interview with Vicka, Fr. Janko Bubalo asked Vicka questions about her experiences.
Fr. Bubalo: “You told me, and I read it in one of your notebooks, that on All Soul’s Day, 1981, you, the Seers – and all of you were gathered except Ivan, the Virgin showed you Heaven. It is recorded that Heaven is inexpressibly beautiful, with a multitude of people and angels.
And when you asked the Virgin why She showed you Heaven, it is noted in the journal that She said so that you might see what it would be like for those who remain faithful to God. It is also added that Ivanka saw her deceased mother there, and another woman known to her…
“…Let me remind you of this too: just four days later, it is noted in that journal that the Virgin suddenly, as though at once, disappeared, and that hell appeared before you. That was observed by you, Jakov, and Marija.
It is recorded that it was awful! Like a sea of flame. Within a large group of people. It is stated that in the midst of all was seen a blonde longhaired woman with horns, and that the devils are leaping toward her from all sides.
Something like that…Did the Virgin tell you why She showed you that?
Vicka: “Yes, yes! She told us that She showed it to us so that we might know what it is like for those who go there.”
Fr. Bubalo: “…The Virgin took you and Jakov somewhere to show you Heaven and hell…tell me about it now as fully as possible.
Vicka: “…Fifteen days – I don’t know exactly – after this vision of hell…I and Jakov went to Citluk for something.
We returned about three in the afternoon. We stopped at my house a bit, and then continued on to Jakov’s to return him safely to his mother…His mother was out somewhere, and the Virgin appeared to us immediately.
She greeted us with ‘Praised be Jesus!’ and said to us that She would take us to Heaven…We became frightened.
Jakov began to cry. He said he wouldn’t go since he is his mother’s one and only, and that I should go by myself.
Fr. Bubalo: And the Virgin?
Vicka: She said nothing. We were still kneeling. She took me by the right hand, and Jakov by the left hand and stood between us, with Her face toward us, and we immediately began to lift upward…straight up through the ceiling. The house disappeared, and we were off…It seemed to me that we went upward…
Jakov was questioned about his experience with Heaven, Purgatory, and hell in a talk he gave to pilgrims in Medjugorje on October 12, 2007:
“…when Our Lady took us to Heaven, I was very afraid. I was only eleven and when Our Lady told us that She was going to take us with Her, I didn’t want to go with Her. I was afraid I would die. And I said to Our Lady, ‘why don’t you take Vicka only. Her mother has eight children and I am the only child my mother has.’”
In another interview, Vicka stated:
Vicka: “The Blessed Mother has shown me Heaven, hell, and Purgatory…Many people today do not believe there is a place or state of life after death of the body. They believe that when we die, life is over. The Blessed Mother says no; on the contrary, we are only passengers on earth. She has come to remind us of the eternal truths of the Gospel.
Question: Are Heaven and hell actual places?
Vicka: Yes. I saw them.
Question: How?
Vicka: Two ways – I saw with my eyes… And then I visited these places. Jakov and I were taken there by the Blessed Mother.”
Marija was interviewed by a Friend of Medjugorje on November 6, 1986 about her visions of Heaven, Purgatory, and hell. The following is part of the interview:
Question: “When you saw the vision of Heaven, did you see Purgatory at the same time?
Marija: “I saw all the visions at the same apparition – Heaven, Purgatory, and hell.
Question: “Has Our Lady ever revealed to you if a soul in Purgatory can be lost and go to hell?
Marija: “No, once they are in Purgatory, they can only go to Heaven.
Question: “In your opinion, some people that are constantly going from good to bad, bad to good, good to bad, yet love God, will they go to hell?
Marija: “I don’t know. When a man dies, God gives him special graces and blessings to decide where he should go himself. God gives him a scene, reviewing his whole life, what he has done in his life, and so God gives him graces to decide where he should go, according to his life. He has a free choice.
Question: “Well, say that you deserve hell but you want to go to Heaven. What happens then because didn’t God give you a choice?
Marija: “Yes, but God gives you these special graces to understand fully so you will only answer truthfully.
Question: “So, He gives you so many graces you say, ‘God, I don’t deserve Heaven, I deserve hell or Purgatory.’ – like truth serum?
Marija: “Yes, correct.
Question: “So, God never sends anyone to hell, they decide it themselves?
Marija: “Yes, we are judges to our life.
Question: “So when it is stated, ‘God sends no one to hell, they send themselves,’ it means just that?
Marija: “Yes, correct.
Question: Have you, Marija, ever asked Our Lady if you will go to Heaven, like Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucia of Fatima did? They asked Our Lady, ‘Are we to go to Heaven?’ and She told them, ‘Yes.’
Marija: “No, I have never asked Her that!
Question: “Are you scared?
Marija: “I would be happy to be behind the gates in Paradise, if only I could be there.”
Marija also adds from another interview:
Marija: “We choose Heaven, hell, or Purgatory for ourselves. The Blessed Mother explained to me that at death we are the same person we are in life, though we no longer have the use of our body. It returns to the earth.
We receive the light at death to see the plan God has had for us from the beginning. We then understand how we have chosen to comply with His Divine plan. In the light of truth, we know where we belong, where we fit, and we choose Heaven, hell, or Purgatory.”
